Ted Cruz to CNN: Christie Wrong, Civil Liberties Not 'Esoteric'

Fresh off winning the Western Conservative Summit straw poll over the weekend, freshman Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is on cable news taking on a possible GOP presidential opponent, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Appearing on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper" on Monday, Cruz was asked about Christie's recent comment that the wave of libertarianism sweeping through the Republican Party is "a very dangerous thought."

"The Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, the protection of the civil liberties of Americans, they aren't esoteric," Cruz responded. "They're the foundation of this country."

As Cruz began to go through the Bill of Rights, listing violations of each by the administration of President Barack Obama, host Jake Tapper interrupted to ask if they were worse than those of former President George W. Bush.

"Absolutely, yes. The degree of hostility to constitutional rights demonstrated by this administration is unprecedented," Cruz said.

Asked by Tapper if he raised the same protests during the Bush years, when "warrantless wiretapping" was taking place, Cruz assured him that he was.

Bush, Cruz noted, signed an executive order that commanded state courts to obey the World Court. As Texas solicitor general, he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court that the order was unconstitutional.

"We ended up winning 6-3, with the Supreme Court striking down Bush's order and concluding the World Court has no authority over our U.S. justice system," Cruz said.